Pet Sematary remake finally finds directors, might actually happen

In seasonally appropriate news, Paramount has taken a big step forward with its long-gestating Pet Sematary remake by picking directors.

Variety reports that Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer have been chosen to bring Stephen King’s horrifying tale of a family and the titular cursed burial ground back to the big screen. The duo are best known for their excellent indie horror Starry Eyes, a brutal tale of an actress who will do anything to get ahead in Hollywood. Rich in atmosphere, genuinely creepy and with moments of revolting gore, Starry Eyeswould seem to make the duo an excellent choice for one of King’s nastiest stories.

The remake will be written by Jeff Buhler (Midnight Meat Train) and David Kajganich (A Bigger Splash, upcoming AMC horror series The Terror).

It’s been in on-off development since 2011, with Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later) attached to direct back in 2013, and IT director Andy Muschietti has previously expressed his desire to make it. Mike Flanagan also told us that it had been one of the King projects on his wishlist.

The massive success of IT is being cited as the reason why Paramount finally picked up a shovel and headed towards the Micmac burial ground, as everyone and their mum is anxiously checking behind their sofa cushions to see if they’ve been sitting on the rights to any Stephen King stories.

Mary Lambert’s original film is superb and properly frightening (you’ll never forget Zelda) but there are some elements that could be improved upon, and we’re going to be cautiously optimistic about this. Good directors, good writers…now let’s see who they cast. We’re rooting for Mark Duplass.